Professional Documents
Culture Documents
30
30 3 PAST TIME 1
Exercises
Sections A, B 6.1 Underline the correct words.
1 Yesterday I phoned/Ive phoned the bank about our overdraft.
2 I work/I have worked here since the end of last year.
3 I work/I have worked from home one day a week.
4 Im enjoying the conference. I made/I have made a lot of useful contacts.
5 I saw/Ive seen Hugh Hopper a few days ago he sends his regards.
6 We went/We have been to an interesting seminar last week.
7 Today has been/was really busy and its only lunchtime!
8 Today has been/was really busy. Its 7 pm Im going home.
9 Im sorry but Patricia left/has left the office an hour ago.
10 Patricia? No, she isnt here right now. She left/has left the office.
Sections A, B 6.2 Put the verbs in brackets into either the present simple, past simple or present perfect.
1 The company is doing very well. Last year sales went up (go up) 15%, and so far this year
they have gone up (go up) another 12%.
2 We (operate) all over Latin America. Recently we (set up) branches in Peru
and Colombia.
3 (you/see) my laptop? Im sure I (leave) it here earlier.
4 This (not look) like the right block. Are you sure we (come) to the right
address?
5 I (never/speak) to him, but I (speak) to his assistant on the phone
yesterday.
6 I (work) for WorldCom since last year, but now I (want) to change jobs.
(you/hear) of anyone taking on new staff?
Sections C, D, F 6.3 In each mini-dialogue put one verb into the present perfect simple and the other into the
present perfect continuous. Use contractions where possible.
1 A: Whats the matter? You look worried!
B: Yes, I am. I ve been looking at (look at) the contract in detail, and I ve noticed (notice) a lot of
potential problems.
2 A: I (call) Carol all day, but it goes straight to voicemail.
B: I expect she (go) to Head Office.
3 A: Tosca is coming to the Opera House. (you see) it?
B: Not yet, but I (look forward) to it for ages.
Shall we go together?
4 A: How long (you produce)
cars at this site?
B: About four years. We
(invest) around twenty million dollars in plant
and machinery.
VERB TENSES 31
section a 6.5 Complete the text about technology stocks by putting the verbs into the correct form of
the past simple or present perfect.
32
tasks
speaking: listen 1 06 You are going to hear eight phrases. Listen and repeat.
and repeat
translate 2 Translate these short texts taken from the Internet into your own language. Remember not to
translate word for word, but rather to make it sound natural.
The technology-heavy Nasdaq index has been Since completing a consolidation phase three
falling for three weeks, and is now 34% lower years ago, ThyssenKrupp has been following
than its March peak. Shares of companies a sustained and profitable course of growth.
announcing poor results have fallen by a third The company has raised its earnings forecast
or a half after profits warnings. for the current fiscal year to over 3.2 billion
Washington Post website before taxes.
business-magazine.de website
Writing: 3 Think about your life in the last year. Write answers to these questions using the past simple,
personalized present perfect simple and present perfect continuous.
practice
1 How have you tried to keep fit and healthy?
Ive joined a health club. I went a few times after joining, but since then I havent
been at all. Also Ive been trying to eat more healthy food. I dont really have much
time for cooking, but Ive learned a few new recipes.
2 How have you spent your money?
3 What have you done to keep up with new ideas in your professional field?
5 What havent you done that you would like to have done? Why?
rehearsal for 4 Look again at the dialogue in exercise 6.4 and notice how the speakers use the past simple
the real world and the present perfect. Now write a similar dialogue between yourself and a friend or
colleague who you meet after not being in contact for some time. Start like this:
Friend (give their name): Hi! I havent see you for ages!
Me: Hi, nice to see you again.
VerB teNses 33